* Wimbledon courts spark concern
* Tearful Serena retires injured
* Cornet knocks out Andreescu
LONDON: Defending champion Novak Djokovic survived a series of falls on Centre Court to reach the Wimbledon third round on Wednesday with a straight-set win over Kevin Anderson.
World number one Djokovic, chasing a sixth Wimbledon and record-equalling 20th Grand Slam title, won 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 over the 102nd-ranked South African.
However, he slipped and fell on at least five occasions on Centre Court, the day after Serena Williams suffered a tearful, tournament-ending injury on Tuesday due to similar slips.
Each time, 34-year-old Djokovic dusted himself down to set up a clash against either Italian veteran Andreas Seppi or American qualifier Denis Kudla.
Despite the tumbles, the Serb cruised to victory over the man he defeated in the 2018 final without facing a single break point and committing just six unforced errors.
"I have a nice connection with the crowd," said Djokovic.
"I also seem to be having a really nice connection with the grass. I don't recall falling so much in the first two matches at Wimbledon previously."
On Tuesday, seven-time champion Serena retired with a right leg injury after twice falling over in the first set of her opener against Aliaksandra Sasnovich.
The 39-year-old American left the arena in tears as her dream of equalling Margaret Court's record of 24 majors was again thwarted.
'METICULOUS STANDARD'
"I was heartbroken to have to withdraw," she said.
Her fall came not long after French player Adrian Mannarino had slipped and hurt himself on the same part of Centre Court.
He too had to retire with his match against Roger Federer level at two sets apiece.
"I do feel it feels a tad more slippery maybe under the roof," said Federer.
Despite the criticism, the All England Club insisted that the courts are up to standard.
"The preparation of the grass courts has been to exactly the same meticulous standard as in previous years," the club said.
"The weather conditions on the opening two days have been the wettest we have experienced in almost a decade, which has required the roof to be closed on Centre Court and No1 Court for long periods."
Djokovic had also struggled to keep his feet on Centre Court on Monday when he faced Jack Draper in his first-round tie.
The tournament has been hit by heavy rain over the first two days.
As a result, 50 first round matches remained unfinished at the start of Wednesday's schedule.
Fifth seeded Bianca Andreescu of Canada was knocked out 6-2, 6-1 by France's Alize Cornet who famously defeated Serena Williams on her way to the last 16 in 2014.
Andreescu, the 2019 US Open champion, is still to win a main draw match at Wimbledon having lost in the first round as a qualifier in 2017.
100 WINS FOR NISHIKORI
Italian seventh seed Matteo Berrettini, the champion at Queen's and tipped to go deep at Wimbledon, edged Argentina's Guido Pella 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 6-0.
Japan's Kei Nishikori, a two-time quarterfinalist, claimed his 100th Grand Slam match win by seeing off Australia's Alexei Popyrin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
Britain's Andy Murray won his first singles match at the tournament in four years when he saw off 24th seeded Nikoloz Basilashvili two days ago.
The three-time champion and former world number one, now down at 118 in the rankings, tackles qualifier Oscar Otte of Germany for a last-32 place later Wednesday.
Murray, 34, has overcome a career-threatening hip injury to still be playing at the highest level.
Both Djokovic and Murray would have been buoyed by seeing world number four Stefanos Tsitsipas removed from their half of the draw in the first round.
In the women's tournament, Belarus second seed Aryna Sabalenka, yet to make the last-eight of a Slam, faces British wild card Katie Boulter, the world 219.
Sabalenka won their only previous meeting at the Australian Open in 2019.
Venus Williams, the 41-year-old five-time champion who made her tournament debut in 1997, takes on Ons Jabeur who is hoping to become the first Tunisian to make the third round.
Frances Tiafoe, who knocked out Tsitsipas, plays Vasek Pospisil of Canada. -- AFP
Wimbledon results
Men (second round)
Denis Shapovalov (CAN x10) bt Pablo Andújar (ESP) -- walkover
First round
Christian Garin (CHI x17) bt Bernabé Zapata Miralles (ESP) 6-7 (6/8), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2; Matteo Berrettini (ITA x7) bt Guido Pella (ARG) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 6-0;
Botic van de Zandschulp (NED) bt Gregoire Barrere (FRA) 6-2, 6-7 (4/7), 6-1, 7-6 (7/3); Aljaz Bedene (SLO) bt Corentin Moutet (FRA) 6-4, 6-4, 6-0; Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN) bt John Isner (USA x28) 7-6 (7/5), 2-6, 6-3, 6-7 (3/7), 6-4; Jérémy Chardy (FRA) bt Aslan Karatsev (RUS x20) 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (8/6), 6-3; Ilya Ivashka (BLR) bt Jaume Munar (ESP) 6-1, 7-5, 7-6 (7/5); Kei Nishikori (JPN) bt Alexei Popyrin (AUS) 6-4, 6-4, 6-4; Gianluca Mager (ITA) bt Juan Ignacio Londero (ARG) 7-6 (7/3), 6-0, 4-6, 6-3; Cameron Norrie (GBR x29) bt Lucas Pouille (FRA) 6-7 (6/8), 7-5, 6-2, 7-5; Sam Querrey (USA) bt Pablo Carreno-Busta (ESP x11) 7-6 (8/6), 6-4, 7-5
Women (first round)
Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) bt Zarina Diyas (KAZ) 6-4, 6-1; Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) bt Greet Minnen (BEL) 6-2, 7-6 (7/5); Alize Cornet (FRA) bt Bianca Andreescu (CAN x5) 6-2, 6-1; Elina Svitolina (UKR x3) bt Alison Van Uytvanck (BEL) 6-3, 2-6, 6-3; Magda Linette (POL) bt Amanda Anisimova (USA) 2-6, 6-3, 6-1; Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) bt Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) 6-3, 6-1; Paula Badosa (ESP x30) bt Aliona Bolsova (ESP) 6-2, 5-7, 6-2; Karolina Muchova (CZE x19) bt Zhang Shuai (CHN) 6-3, 6-3; Camila Giorgi (ITA) bt Jil Teichmann (SUI) 6-2, 6-2; Kristyna Pliskova (CZE) bt Astra Sharma (AUS) 3-6, 6-4, 6-4; Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS x16) bt Ana Bogdan (ROM) 6-2, 6-2; Nao Hibino (JPN) bt Bernarda Pera (USA) 6-1, 5-7, 6-3
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